Future pharmacists
Standards for the initial
education and training
of pharmacists
May 2011
Contents
The delivery of education and training
6
Requirements for the initial education and training of pharmacists
7
Standard 1 – Patient and public safety
8
Standard 2 – Monitoring, review and evaluation of initial education
and training
11
Standard 3 – Equality, diversity and fairness
14
Standard 4 – Selection of students and trainees
16
Standard 5 – Curriculum delivery and the student experience
18
Standard 6 – Support and development for students and trainees23
Standard 7 – Support and development for academic staff and
pre-registration tutors
25
Standard 8 – Management of initial education and training
27
Standard 9 – Resources and capacity
29
Standard 10 – Outcomes
33
Appendix 1 – Indicative syllabus
45
Appendix 2 – European requirements for the initial education and
training of pharmacists
54
Appendix 3 – National and European requirements for master’s
level qualifications
56
Appendix 4 – Sites for pharmacist pre-registration training
58
Further information
59
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
3
Future pharmacists
Standards for the initial education and training
of pharmacists
This document provides schools of pharmacy1 with
the standards for the initial education and training of
pharmacists.
The requirements for submitting a degree for
accreditation are in our accreditation and recognition
manual, which is published separately.
This document may also be of interest to prospective
and current pharmacy students and pre-registration
pharmacist trainees, those involved in the initial education
and training of pharmacists, pharmacy professionals and
members of the public.
1
4
The term ‘school of pharmacy’ is used throughout this document. It is used generically
to describe the academic unit in a university with primary responsibility for delivering
an accredited course. Depending on institutional structures a ‘school’ may be a school,
department, division, faculty or other grouping. Whatever its name, for accreditation
purposes a university must define the unit with primary responsibility for delivering an
accredited course.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
About us
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the
regulator for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and
pharmacy premises.
It is our job to protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and wellbeing
of members of the public, and in particular those members of the public who
use or need the services of pharmacy professionals or the services provided at
a registered pharmacy.
Our principal functions include:
•
setting standards for conduct, ethics, proficiency, education and training,
and continuing professional development (CPD);
•
establishing and promoting standards for the safe and effective practice
of pharmacy at registered pharmacies;
•
establishing fitness to practise requirements, monitoring pharmacy
professionals’ fitness to practise and dealing firmly and fairly with
complaints;
•
approving qualifications for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians;
•
maintaining a register of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and
pharmacy premises.
We will aim to ensure that regulation is fair and proportionate – that is, in
line with the level of risk posed to public health, safety and wellbeing – and
not over-burdensome. We want it to be flexible enough to respond to the
changing demands made of the profession and to allow for innovation at the
same time as maintaining high quality practice.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
5
The delivery of education and training
The initial education and training of pharmacists in Great Britain is:
Four-year MPharm
degree (or five-year
MPharm degree
including
intercalated
blocks of preregistraon)
52 weeks of preregistraon
training
Registraon
Assessment
(Examinaon)
Health, character
and identy checks
Registraon as a
pharmacist
In Great Britain the four-year MPharm degree is separate from the 52-week
pre-registration training with one exception: a five-year MPharm degree with
two intercalated periods of pre-registration training. We expect the MPharm
degree plus pre-registration training model to predominate in the short term,
with an integrated degree combining academic study and pre-registration
training being a future possibility. However, these standards have been written
in such a way that they could support an integrated degree because we have
not been prescriptive about delivery structures.
The outcomes in Standard 10 refer to outcome levels for an MPharm degree
and outcome levels for pre-registration training. Unless a school of pharmacy
decides to offer an integrated degree, the pre-registration outcomes are for
reference and course design purposes only. As schools are not responsible
currently for delivering pre-registration, anything related exclusively to
pre-registration has been italicised for clarity.2 It should be borne in mind,
however, that even though most MPharm degrees are separate from preregistration training, they are a preparation for it.
2
6
Titles of documents have also been italicised.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Requirements for the initial education and
training of pharmacists
For students studying in Great Britain, there are three routes to registration3,4
as a pharmacist, either
•
a four-year MPharm degree (part of which may be studied overseas); then
•
52 weeks of pre-registration training; and
•
our Registration Assessment (an examination).
Normally, this route to registration must be completed in eight years.
Or
•
a two-year part-time foundation degree in pharmacy5 (comprising year 1
of an MPharm degree plus work experience and study skills); then
•
years 2 to 4 of an MPharm degree; then
•
52 weeks of pre-registration training; and
•
our Registration Assessment (an examination).
Normally, this route to registration must be completed in nine years.
Or
•
a five-year MPharm degree, including intercalated blocks of preregistration training equalling 52 weeks; and
•
our Registration Assessment (an examination).
Normally, this route to registration must be completed in eight years.
3
4
5
The maximum period for completing a route to registration may be adjusted pro rata for
periods of part-time education or training and for other legitimate, documented reasons.
The registration process includes health, good character and identity checks.
This refers to accredited foundation degrees not unaccredited foundation degrees for
pharmacy technicians.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
7
Standard 1 – Patient and public safety
Standard
1
There must be clear procedures to address concerns about patient safety
arising from initial pharmacy education and training. Concerns must be
addressed immediately.
Criteria to meet this standard
1.1 There must be effective systems in place to ensure that students and
trainees:
•
do not jeopardise patient safety;
•
only do tasks for which they are competent, sometimes under
supervision;
•
are monitored and assessed to ensure that they always practise safely.
Causes for concern should be addressed immediately;
•
have access to support for health, conduct and academic issues;
•
must not be awarded an accredited degree or pass pre-registration
training if they might pose a risk to patients or the public. Where an
accredited degree cannot be awarded, it may be possible to award
another, unaccredited qualification such as a certificate, diploma or BSc;
•
understand what is and what is not professional behaviour and are
familiar with the GPhC’s Code of conduct for pharmacy students (2010)
and Standards of conduct, ethics and performance (2010);
•
understand what fitness to practise mechanisms apply to them. All
schools of pharmacy must have fitness to practise procedures to deal
with student causes for concern;
•
undergo required health and good character checks;
•
understand that it is an offence to impersonate a pharmacist.
Pharmacists are registrants of the GPhC.
8
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Evidence required for meeting this standard
1.2 Evidence sources used to demonstrate meeting this standard include:
•
fitness to practise policies;
•
premises inspection reports;
•
pre-registration tutor assessments of trainees.
1.3 The required evidence includes:
•
evidence that the Code of conduct for pharmacy students and Standards
of conduct, ethics and performance are used to promote professional
conduct;
•
summary outcomes of student fitness to practise hearings;
•
summary outcomes of premises inspection reports;
•
analyses of pre-registration tutor assessments of trainees and follow-up
actions.
Guidance on meeting this standard
1.4 Anyone who teaches, supervises, counsels, employs or works with
students and trainees has a responsibility to protect patients and the
public. Where serious concerns are raised about a student or a trainee
they must be investigated as soon as possible.
1.5 Students and trainees should not be put in a situation where they are
asked to work beyond their competence and they must be supervised
where necessary.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
9
1.6 Anyone responsible for the initial education and training of pharmacists
has a responsibility to share information relating to the health, conduct or
performance of students and trainees with appropriate people. A student
or trainee should be asked to agree to this. If they do not or cannot
agree, consideration must be given to whether disclosure should take
place on patient safety grounds. Patient safety is paramount at all times.
1.7 Students and trainees must not be allowed to continue education and
training if they pose a risk to patients or the public.
1.8 By awarding an accredited degree a university is confirming that a
pharmacy graduate is fit to enter pre-registration training. If preregistration training is included in a degree, students must not be allowed
to enter a training period unless they are fit to do so. The latter point
applies to degrees with intercalated periods of pre-registration training
as well as integrated degrees.
1.9 To be eligible to apply to register as a pharmacist, a trainee must
have been evaluated successfully by their tutor at several points in the
52 weeks of pre-registration training. The training may be continuous or
in blocks.
1.10 Towards the end of the 52 weeks of pre-registration training, a tutor
signs off a trainee to confirm they have met the pre-registration
performance standards.
1.11 School fitness to practise policies and procedures must be introduced
to students as developmental tools as well as instruments of public
protection.
Note
1.12 This standard should be read in conjunction with the GPhC’s Guidance
on student fitness to practise procedures in schools of pharmacy (2010),
which has further guidance on what constitutes student fitness to practise.
10
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Standard 2 – Monitoring, review and evaluation
of initial education and training
Standard
2
The quality of pharmacy education and training must be monitored,
reviewed and evaluated in a systematic and developmental way.
Criteria to meet this standard
2.1 There must be systems and policies in place covering the following:
•
information about roles and responsibilities and lines of accountability;
•
university information on:
– entry requirements;
– the quality of teaching, learning and assessment;
– the quality of placements and other practice learning opportunities;
– appraisal and feedback systems for students and trainees;
– supervision requirements;
– educational resources and capacity;
These must be monitored, reviewed and evaluated systematically. When
an issue is identified it must be documented and dealt with promptly;
•
pre-registration tutors evaluating trainees. To do this, tutors must have
access to reliable evidence about a trainee’s performance. Tutors must be
competent to assess the performance of trainees;
•
the quality and development of pre-registration tutors.
Evidence required for meeting this standard
2.2 Evidence sources for meeting this standard include:
•
evidence that the quality of initial education and training is evaluated in
an integrated way (by integrated we mean an evaluation that looks at all
aspects of provision);
•
evidence that MPharm degrees are developed with input from external
stakeholders, including patients and the public;
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
11
•
quality monitoring data from universities;
•
quality monitoring data from placement providers and other practice
learning sources;
•
GPhC accreditation reports and annual data return;
•
achievement in the Registration Assessment;
•
quality monitoring data from pre-registration providers;
•
pre-registration tutor evaluations of trainees;
•
trainee evaluations of pre-registration tutors;
•
premises inspection reports.
2.3 The required evidence includes:
•
entry requirements and evidence of how they support the aims and
philosophy of the programme;
•
outcomes of integrated evaluations of initial education and training;
•
views of external stakeholders, including patients and the public, and
evidence demonstrating how their views have informed course design
and delivery;
•
outcomes of evaluations of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment;
•
outcomes of evaluations of resources and capacity;
•
outcomes of evaluations of the quality of placements and other practice
learning opportunities;
•
outcomes of appraisal and feedback systems for students and trainees;
•
outcomes of achievement in the Registration Assessment;
•
outcomes of pre-registration tutor evaluations of trainees;
•
outcomes of trainee evaluations of pre-registration tutors.
Note that the evidence above is likely to be included in evaluation
processes already in place (and existing processes may well deal with
more than one category of evidence).
12
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Guidance on meeting this standard
2.4 Evaluation strategies must evidence 2.3.
2.5 Evaluation should include action which is agreed and monitored.
Pre-requisites for meeting this standard
2.6 University quality assurance processes are robust, rigorous and
transparent.
2.7 Universities are open with the GPhC about matters affecting an
accredited MPharm degree. It is a requirement of The Pharmacy Order
2010 that course providers assist the GPhC in its work by providing
information on request.
2.8 Universities raise relevant issues proactively with the GPhC.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
13
Standard 3 – Equality, diversity and fairness
Standard
3
Initial pharmacy education and training must be based on principles
of equality, diversity and fairness. It must meet the requirements of
all relevant legislation.
Criteria to meet this standard
3.1 Systems and policies for capturing equality and diversity data. Concerns
should be documented, addressed and disseminated.
3.2 Strategies for staff training in equality and diversity.
Evidence required for meeting this standard
3.3 Evidence that initial education and training deal with equality, diversity
and fairness issues in an informed way.
3.4 Evidence that concerns have been addressed.
3.5 Evidence that staff, students and trainees have been trained in equality
and diversity issues and are updated as necessary.
Guidance on meeting this standard
3.6 This standard is intended to ensure that applicants, both students and
trainees, are not treated unfairly on grounds of:
•
age;
•
disability;
•
gender reassignment;
•
marriage and civil partnership;
•
pregnancy and maternity;
•
race;
•
religion or belief;
•
sex;
•
sexual orientation;
•
other forms of discrimination.
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Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
The requirements of the Equality Act 2010 should be taken into account
in this regard.
3.7 Equality and diversity awareness should be an integral part of initial
education and training.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
15
Standard 4 – Selection of students and trainees
Standard
4
Selection processes must be open and fair and comply with relevant
legislation. Processes must ensure that students and trainees are fit
to practise as students or trainees at the point of selection. Selection
includes recruitment and admissions.
Criteria to meet this standard
4.1 Selection processes must give applicants the guidance they need to make
an informed application.
4.2 Selection criteria must be explicit. They should include:
•
meeting academic and professional entry requirements;
•
meeting English language requirements appropriate to MPharm degree
study. Guidelines issued by English language testing bodies should
be followed to ensure that admissions language requirements are
appropriate;
•
meeting numeracy requirements;
•
taking account of good character checks, such as Criminal Records
Bureau (CRB)/Disclosure Scotland checks;
•
taking account of health checks;
•
recognising prior learning, where that is appropriate.
4.3 Selectors should apply the selection criteria fairly. They should be trained
to do this. Training should include equality and diversity awareness.
Evidence required for meeting this standard
4.4 Evidence that selection processes and procedures comply with relevant
legislation.
4.5 Evidence that the criteria in 4.2 above are being applied.
4.6 Evidence that staff involved in selection have been trained appropriately
and are aware of relevant legislative requirements.
16
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Guidance on meeting this standard
4.7 All selection requirements should be set out clearly in guidance made
available to applicants. Applicants must know what will happen to them
during selection, including what health and good character checks will
be made.
4.8 Guidance should include information about the additional costs
associated with making an application.
4.9 It must be made clear to students and trainees that the GPhC will carry
out its own health, good character and identity checks before registering
an applicant. It must be made clear to students and trainees that
these checks relate to registration and are additional to checks made
by universities and employers. It must be made clear to students and
trainees that the GPhC may not register a student if a check is failed, even
if they have passed previous checks.
4.10 It must be made clear to students and trainees that the GPhC will not
offer prospective registration advice.
4.11 It must be made clear to students and trainees that an applicant can
appeal against a registration refusal and that appeals must be made to
the GPhC’s Appeals Committee.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
17
Standard 5 – Curriculum delivery and the
student experience
Standard
5
The curriculum for MPharm degrees and the pre-registration scheme
must deliver the outcomes in Standard 10. Most importantly, curricula
must ensure that students and trainees practise safely and effectively.
To ensure this, pass criteria must describe safe and effective practice.
Criteria to meet this standard
5.1 Curricula must be integrated. This does not mean necessarily that initial
education and training must be delivered as a five-year MPharm degree
with integrated pre-registration training, but that the component parts
of education and training must be linked in a coherent way.
5.2 Curricula must be progressive, dealing with issues in an increasingly more
complex way until the right level of understanding is reached:
Source: H
arden, R.M. and Stamper, N. (1999) What is a spiral curriculum? Medical Teacher
21: 141–3.
18
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
5.3 An MPharm degree must be delivered in an environment which places
study in a professional and academic context and requires students to
conduct themselves professionally. Pre-registration training must be
delivered in a professional environment which requires trainees to conduct
themselves professionally.
5.4 An MPharm must be delivered in an environment informed by research.
This means that whether or not all staff are engaged in research, their
teaching must be informed by current research.
5.5 An MPharm degree teaching and learning strategy must set out
how students will achieve the outcomes in Standard 10. Learning
opportunities must be structured to provide:
•
an integrated experience of relevant science and pharmacy practice;
•
a balance of theory and practice;
•
independent learning skills.
5.6 The MPharm degree curriculum must include practical experience
of working with patients, carers and other healthcare professionals.
Practical experience should increase year on year. We are not suggesting
that off-site placement visits are the only way to achieve this. Schools
should articulate their strategy for meeting this criterion, which may
include off-site placement visits, using patients, carers and other
healthcare professionals in-class, and simulations.
5.7 There must be a clear assessment strategy for the MPharm degree.
Assessment methods must measure the outcomes in Standard 10.
5.8 The MPharm degree assessment strategy should include:
•
diagnostic assessments;
•
formative assessments;
•
summative assessments;
•
timely feedback.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
19
5.9 Academic regulations must be appropriate for a degree that is both
academic and professional and which may lead to further professional
training. As a general principle, all assessments must be passed. This
means that condonation, compensation, trailing, extended re-sit
opportunities and other remedial measures should be extremely limited,
if they are permitted at all. MPharm degree academic regulations may be
more stringent than university norms. This may include higher than usual
pass marks for assessments demonstrating knowledge and skills essential
to safe and effective pharmacy practice.
5.10 Marking criteria must be used for all assessments and all pass criteria
must reflect safe and effective practice.
5.11 Patient safety must be paramount in assessments: any evidence of an
assessment demonstrating unsafe practice must result in failure.
5.12 A pre-registration training plan must describe how the learning outcomes
for pre-registration will be delivered.
5.13 A pre-registration training plan must describe all assessments, including
tutor evaluations and tutor sign-offs.
Evidence required for meeting this standard
5.14 Evidence sources include:
•
MPharm degree teaching and learning strategies;
•
MPharm degree assessment strategies;
•
pharmacy research strategies;
•
assessment criteria;
•
academic regulations;
•
MPharm degree external examiners’ reports;
•
reports of MPharm degree accreditation visits;
20
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
•
internal university quality reports;
•
evaluation and feedback from students, trainees and tutors;
•
national peer-reviewed research assessment exercises;
•
Registration Examination progression data;
•
reports of pre-registration training site visits;
•
pre-registration training plans.
5.15 The required evidence includes:
•
evidence of the impact of teaching and learning strategies on course
delivery and the student experience;
•
evidence of the impact of assessment strategies on course delivery and
the student experience;
•
evidence of the impact of current research on course design;
•
evidence that assessment pass criteria reflect safe and effective practice;
•
evidence that issues raised during accreditation visits have been addressed;
•
evidence that evaluation and feedback from all sources has been acted on;
•
evidence that, where appropriate, reasonable adjustments have been
made to course/training delivery for students/trainees;
•
evidence that attrition rates are understood;
•
evidence that Registration Assessment progression data has been used
to inform course design;
•
evidence that pre-registration progression data has been used to inform
course design.
Note that the evidence listed above is likely to be included in evaluation
processes already in place (and existing processes may well deal with
more than one category of evidence).
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
21
Guidance on meeting this standard
5.16 Assessment and feedback systems should be embedded in all five years
of initial education and training.
5.17 There should be a range of teaching and learning methods to deliver the
outcomes in Standard 10.
5.18 There should be a range of assessment methods to test all the outcomes
in Standard 10.
5.19 Links between diagnostic, formative and summative assessments must
be made clear to students and trainees.
5.20 Links between assessments and feedback must be made clear to
students and trainees. Feedback must be given in time for it to be used
effectively.
5.21 There should be deadlines for assessments to be marked and for
feedback to be given. Action should be taken if deadlines are not met.
5.22 Where appropriate, reasonable adjustments must be made to curriculum
delivery to help students and trainees with special and specific needs
meet learning outcomes. Teaching, learning and assessment can be
modified for this purpose but learning outcomes cannot.
22
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Standard 6 – Support and development for
students and trainees
Standard
6
Students and trainees must be supported to develop as learners and
professionals during their initial education and training.
Criteria to meet this standard
6.1 A range of mechanisms must be in place to support students and trainees
to develop as learners and professionals.
Evidence required for meeting this standard
6.2 Evidence of appropriate personal and professional development, such as:
•
student CPD portfolios;
•
trainee CPD portfolios;
•
tutor evaluations of trainees;
•
trainee evaluations of tutors.
Guidance on meeting this standard
6.3 Students and trainees must work with a range of academic and
professional role models. The range must include:
•
academic staff in pharmacy, including practice staff, scientists,
researchers and support staff;
•
pre-registration tutors;
•
other healthcare professionals.
6.4 Students must have access to support for their academic and general
welfare needs. Support must be readily available to students. If students
are working off-site or trainees are working away from their normal preregistration training premises, appropriate support mechanisms must be
in place.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
23
6.5 Students and trainees should have access to career advice.
6.6 If it is no longer possible for students to continue on an MPharm, they
should be told what other options are available to them by their school
of pharmacy, in particular if they are able to transfer to other,
non-accredited courses such as a certificate, diploma or BSc.
6.7 If it is no longer possible for a trainee to continue in the pre-registration
scheme, they should be told what options are available to them.
24
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Standard 7 – Support and development for
academic staff and pre-registration tutors
Standard
7
Anyone delivering initial education and training should be supported to
develop in their professional role.
Criteria to meet this standard
7.1 There must be a range of mechanisms in place to support anyone
delivering initial education and training to develop in their professional role.
7.2 Induction programmes are provided for tutors and university staff
as appropriate. There should also be induction programmes for nonpharmacists working on MPharm degrees.
7.3 Everyone involved in delivering the curriculum should have:
•
effective supervision;
•
an appropriate and realistic workload;
•
effective personal support;
•
mentoring;
•
time to learn;
•
continuing professional development opportunities.
7.4 Tutors should have an identified source of peer support.
Evidence required for meeting this standard
7.5 Evidence that staff appraisal systems address performance issues
(anonymised).
7.6 Evidence that staff development systems affect course delivery.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
25
Guidance on meeting this standard
7.7 Staff appraisal schemes should take account of the needs of all categories
of staff, including practice staff and part-time staff.
7.8 Staff development should be in place for non-pharmacist staff to help
them understand how their expertise contributes to the initial education
and training of pharmacists and how it can best be delivered in a
pharmaceutical context.
26
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Standard 8 – Management of initial education
and training
Standard
8
Initial pharmacist education and training must be planned and
maintained through transparent processes which must show who is
responsible for what at each stage.
Criteria to meet this standard
8.1 All education and training will be supported by a defined management
plan with:
•
a schedule of responsibilities;
•
defined structures and processes to manage the delivery of education
and training.
Evidence required for meeting this standard
8.2 Evidence sources should include:
•
management plans. For students this will be course documents.
For trainees it will be at least a Pre-registration Training Plan;
•
evidence of working arrangements between stakeholders, such as clear
plans and service-level agreements for certain activities;
•
university quality monitoring processes and the outcomes of these
processes;
•
pre-registration tutor evaluations of trainees and trainee evaluations
of pre-registration tutors.
8.3 Required evidence includes:
•
outcomes of university quality management process affecting pharmacy;
•
service-level agreements or other agreements between stakeholders;
•
evaluations of the relationship between stakeholders and actions taken
to address issues;
•
evaluations of pre-registration training.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
27
Guidance on meeting this standard
8.4 Systems and structures should be in place to manage the learning of
students in the academic environment. They must take account of:
•
access to and availability of suitable learning facilities;
•
the balance between taught components, directed learning and student/
trainee self-study;
•
student attendance, particularly minimum requirements and what is
compulsory;
•
mechanisms to ensure that structured, off-site learning is quality assured
and linked to specified areas of the curriculum and outcomes. This must
include the quality assurance of placements and placement staff.
8.5 Systems and structures should be in place to manage the learning of
students and trainees in practice. They must take account of:
•
placement capacity and sustainability;
•
allocation of students to placements;
•
management of student progress through placements;
•
mechanisms for data collection to support audit of placements;
•
access to and availability of suitable learning facilities;
•
managing and monitoring attendance;
•
ways in which students and trainees can communicate with tutors and
staff when they are off-site.
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Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Standard 9 – Resources and capacity
Standard
9
Resources and capacity are sufficient to deliver outcomes.
Criteria to meet this standard
9.1 There must be:
•
robust and transparent mechanisms for securing an appropriate level of
resource for delivering an accreditable MPharm degree;
•
sufficient staff from relevant disciplines to deliver the curriculum
to students and trainees. Staff must be appropriately qualified and
experienced. The staffing profile must include:
– sufficient numbers of pharmacists – registrants of the GPhC –
with experience of teaching in higher education to ensure that an
MPharm degree can produce students equipped to enter pharmacist
pre-registration training in Great Britain;
– sufficient numbers of pharmacists to act as tutors and professional
mentors at university and in pre-registration. Not all personal tutors
must be pharmacists;
– pharmacists who are leaders in the profession, the school and their
university, who can influence school and university policy relevant
to pharmacy;
– non-pharmacist academics who can influence school and university
policy relevant to pharmacy;
– staff who are sufficiently experienced to supervise research. It would
be unusual for anyone to supervise research at a particular academic
level unless they had previously researched to that level or beyond.
New research supervisors must be mentored and signed off as being
fit to supervise after a period of mentoring;
– science academics who understand the relevance of their discipline
to pharmacy and deliver their area of expertise in a pharmaceutical
context;
– academic pharmacists and other experienced MPharm degree staff
who act as mentors to non-pharmacist colleagues;
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
29
•
pre-registration tutors who meet the GPHC’s standards for preregistration tutors;
•
career pathways in universities for all staff teaching on MPharm degrees,
including pathways for practice staff;
•
clear lines of authority and responsibility for the strategic organisation
and day-to-day management of placements;
•
training and ongoing support for all non-pharmacists involved in the
delivery of MPharm degrees which must help them understand:
– the relevance of their work to pharmacy;
– how to deliver their area of expertise in a pharmaceutical context;
•
appropriate learning resources;
•
accommodation and facilities that are fit for purpose;
•
pre-registration premises which meet the GPhC’s standards for preregistration premises.
Evidence required for meeting this standard
9.2 Required evidence includes:
•
evidence that there are mechanisms for securing sufficient levels of
resource to deliver an MPharm degree to the required standard;
•
evidence that the staffing profile can support the delivery of the course
and the student experience;
•
evidence that the staffing profile includes pharmacists who are leaders in
the profession, the school and their university, who can influence school
and university policy relevant to pharmacy;
•
evidence that the staffing profile includes non-pharmacists who can
influence school and university policy relevant to pharmacy;
30
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
•
evidence that there are career structures for all categories of staff,
including practice staff;
•
evidence that the staffing profile includes a critical mass of pharmacists
– registrants of the GPhC – sufficient to ensure that the course is focused
on the profession of pharmacy in Great Britain;
•
evidence that all staff supervising student research are appropriately
qualified to do so. This must include criteria for eligibility to supervise
research at the required level;
•
evidence that there is recognised training and ongoing support for all
non-pharmacist staff to ensure that their contribution to an accredited
course is orientated to pharmacy;
•
evidence that learning resources are fit for purpose;
•
evidence that accommodation and facilities are fit for purpose;
•
evidence that pre-registration tutors and premises meet the GPhC’s
standards.
Guidance on meeting this standard
9.3 Initial education and training providers exercise an appropriate level of
autonomy over pharmacy resources to deliver an MPharm degree to
the required standard and in an appropriate learning environment. The
precise nature of the autonomy of pharmacy and its senior managers will
be determined by the institutional context in which pharmacy finds itself.
However, whatever the context, there must be robust and transparent
ways of securing resources for pharmacy.
9.4 Initial education and training environments must support students and
trainees to achieve the outcomes in Standard 10.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
31
9.5 These standards describe the types of staff required to deliver an
MPharm degree and pre-registration training. All pre-registration
tutors must be pharmacists and some MPharm degree staff must be
pharmacists. It is important to remember what the legal definition of
a pharmacist is:
‘A person practises as a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician if,
whilst acting in the capacity of or purporting to be a pharmacist or
a pharmacy technician, that person undertakes any work or gives
any advice in relation to the preparation, assembly, dispensing, sale,
supply or use of medicines, the science of medicines, the practice of
pharmacy or the provision of healthcare.’ (The Pharmacy Order 2010)
In a university context, this definition is not restricted to staff who
teach pharmacy practice but includes staff involved in ‘the provision
of healthcare’ and ‘the science of medicines’ among other things. This
definition means that staff other than teacher-practitioners or pharmacy
practice staff may be registered as pharmacists.
Note: The GPhC does not have a non-practising registration category.
Membership of other organisations is not equivalent to registration as
a pharmacist.
32
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Standard 10 – Outcomes
Outcomes for the initial education and training
of pharmacists
10.1
Expectations of a pharmacy professional
Outcomes
MPharm
Pre-reg*
Note: Pre-registration learning outcomes are for reference only if a fouryear MPharm is being delivered.
a.
Recognise ethical dilemmas and respond in
accordance with relevant codes of conduct
Shows
how
Does
b.
Recognise the duty to take action if a
colleague’s health, performance or conduct is
putting patients or the public at risk
Knows
how
Knows
how
c.
Recognise personal health needs, consult
and follow the advice of a suitably qualified
professional, and protect patients or the public
from any risk posed by personal health
Does
Does
d.
Apply the principles of clinical governance
in practice
Knows
how
Does
e.
Demonstrate how the science of pharmacy
is applied in the design and development of
medicines and devices
Shows
how
Knows
how
f.
Contribute to the education and training of
other members of the team, including peer
review and assessment
Shows
how
Does
g.
Contribute to the development of other
members of the team through coaching
and feedback
Knows
how
Shows
how
*Pre-registration training.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
33
Outcomes
MPharm
Pre-reg*
h.
Engage in multidisciplinary team working
Knows
how
Does
i.
Respond appropriately to medical emergencies,
including provision of first aid
Knows
how
Shows
how
Outcomes
MPharm
Pre-reg*
a.
Promote healthy lifestyles by facilitating access
to and understanding of health promotion
information
Shows
how
Does
b.
Access and critically evaluate evidence to support
safe, rational and cost-effective use of medicines
Shows
how
Knows
how
c.
Use the evidence base to review current practice
Shows
how
Does
d.
Apply knowledge of current pharmacy-related
policy to improve health outcomes
Knows
how
Shows
how
e.
Collaborate with patients, the public and other
healthcare professionals to improve patient
outcomes
Knows
how
Shows
how
f.
Play an active role with public and professional
groups to promote improved health outcomes
Knows
how
Knows
how
10.2 The skills required in practice
10.2.1 Implementing health policy
*Pre-registration training.
34
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Outcomes
MPharm
Pre-reg*
g.
Contribute to research and development
activities to improve health outcomes
Knows
how
Knows
how
h.
Provide evidence-based medicines information
Shows
how
Does
10.2.2 Validating therapeutic approaches and supplying prescribed and
over-the-counter medicines
Outcomes
MPharm
Pre-reg*
a.
Identify and employ the appropriate diagnostic
or physiological testing techniques in order to
promote health
Knows
how
Shows
how
b.
Identify inappropriate health behaviours and
recommend suitable approaches to interventions
Shows
how
Does
c.
Instruct patients in the safe and effective use of
their medicines and devices
Shows
how
Does
d.
Analyse prescriptions for validity and clarity
Shows
how
Does
e.
Clinically evaluate the appropriateness of
prescribed medicines
Shows
how
Does
f.
Provide, monitor and modify prescribed
treatment to maximise health outcomes
Shows
how
Does
g.
Communicate with patients about their
prescribed treatment
Shows
how
Does
*Pre-registration training.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
35
Outcomes
MPharm
Pre-reg*
h.
Optimise treatment for individual patient needs
in collaboration with the prescriber
Shows
how
Does
i.
Record, maintain and store patient data
Shows
how
Does
j.
Supply medicines safely and efficiently,
consistently within legal requirements and
best professional practice. NB This should be
demonstrated in relation to both human and
veterinary medicines.
Shows
how
Does
10.2.3 Ensuring that safe and effective systems are in place to manage
the risk inherent in the practice of pharmacy and the delivery of
pharmaceutical services
Outcomes
MPharm
Pre-reg*
a.
Ensure quality of ingredients to produce
medicines and products
Knows
how
Shows
how
b.
Apply pharmaceutical principles to the
formulation, preparation and packaging
of products
Shows
how
Shows
how
c.
Use pharmaceutical calculations to verify the
safety of doses and administration rates
Does
Does
d.
Develop quality management systems including
maintaining appropriate records
Shows
how
Shows
how
e.
Manage and maintain quality management
systems including maintaining appropriate records
Shows
how
Does
*Pre-registration training.
36
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Outcomes
MPharm
Pre-reg*
f.
Procure and store medicines and other
pharmaceutical products working within
a quality assurance framework
Knows
how
Does
g.
Distribute medicines safely, legally and effectively
Knows
how
Does
h.
Dispose of medicines safely, legally
and effectively
Knows
how
Does
i.
Manage resources in order to ensure work flow
and minimise risk in the workplace
Knows
how
Shows
how
j.
Take personal responsibility for health and safety
Does
Does
k.
Work effectively within teams to ensure that
safe and effective systems are being followed
Knows
how
Does
l.
Ensure the application of appropriate infection
control measures
Shows
how
Does
m. Supervise others involved in service delivery
Knows
how
Does
n.
Identify, report and prevent errors and unsafe
practice
Shows
how
Does
o.
Procure, store and dispense and supply
veterinary medicines safely and legally
Knows
how
Knows
how
*Pre-registration training.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
37
10.2.4 Working with patients and the public
Outcomes
MPharm
Pre-reg*
a.
Establish and maintain patient relationships
while identifying patients’ desired health
outcomes and priorities
Shows
how
Does
b.
Obtain and record relevant patient medical,
social and family history
Shows
how
Does
c.
Identify and employ the appropriate diagnostic
or physiological testing techniques to inform
clinical decision-making
Knows
how
Shows
how
d.
Communicate information about available
options in a way which promotes understanding
Shows
how
Does
e.
Support the patient in choosing an option by
listening and responding to their concerns and
respecting their decisions
Shows
how
Does
f.
Conclude consultation to ensure a
satisfactory outcome
Shows
how
Does
g.
Maintain accurate and comprehensive
consultation records
Shows
how
Does
h.
Provide accurate written or oral information
appropriate to the needs of patients, the public
or other healthcare professionals
Shows
how
Does
*Pre-registration training.
38
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
10.2.5 Maintaining and improving professional performance
Outcomes
MPharm
Pre-reg*
a.
Demonstrate the characteristics of a
prospective professional pharmacist as set out
in relevant codes of conduct and behaviour
Does
Does
b.
Reflect on personal and professional
approaches to practice
Does
Does
c.
Create and implement a personal
development plan
Does
Does
d.
Review and reflect on evidence to monitor
performance and revise professional
development plan
Does
Does
e.
Participate in audit and in implementing
recommendations
Knows
how
Shows
how
f.
Contribute to identifying the learning and
development needs of team members
Knows
how
Does
g.
Contribute to the development and support
of individuals and teams
Knows
how
Does
h.
Anticipate and lead change
Knows
how
Shows
how
*Pre-registration training.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
39
Context
10.3
Students and trainees must be able to:
•
study and train safely and effectively;
•
study and train ethically and lawfully;
•
understand and apply biomedical and pharmaceutical science
principles, method and knowledge;
•
understand and apply psychological and social science principles,
method and knowledge;
•
understand and apply population and improvement science principles,
method and knowledge.
10.4
The outcomes defined in this section are practical and describe safe
and effective pharmacy practice. To be safe and effective, the practice
of pharmacy must be underpinned by relevant and up-to-date science.
Sound science is the basis of effective pharmacy.
10.5
The practice of pharmacy requires pharmacists to make decisions in
complex and unpredictable situations, sometimes in the absence of
complete data. Pharmacists need to communicate with patients and
the public clearly; often they will need to explain complicated ideas in a
way that is understandable to patients and carers. Equally, pharmacists
need to understand the complexities of patients’ circumstances insofar
as they are relevant to their use of medicines or other behaviours
relevant to personal health and wellbeing.
10.6
As professionals, pharmacists must act on their own initiative and take
personal responsibility for what they do. Pharmacists need to have
the independent learning ability required for continuing professional
development in order to maintain a critical awareness of current
practice. To prepare students for this, the initial education and training
of pharmacists is at master’s level (as defined by the UK’s Quality
Assurance Agency (QAA)).
40
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
10.7
The initial education and training of pharmacists is extensive and
rigorous. After five years it is realistic to expect a person to be
competent but not yet proficient or expert.
Competent
10.8
Proficient
Expert
Recent registrants develop their core competences both during and
then beyond their initial educational experience. The first few years
after graduation are crucial in developing the personal patterns of
professional practice central to being a safe, independent and
proficient practitioner.
Describing and assessing outcomes
10.9
The outcome levels in Standard 10 have been derived from a
competence and assessment hierarchy, known as Miller’s triangle.
Although Miller developed the triangle for clinical work, it can be
applied to science too.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
41
Does
Shows how
Knows how
Knows
Source: M
iller, G.E. (1990) The assessment of clinical skills/competence/performance. Acad
Med 65: 563–7.
10.10 As what is being assessed at each of the four levels is different, the
assessment types associated with the levels are different too, although
there will be some overlap.
•
Level 1 – Knows. Knowledge that may be applied in the future to
demonstrate competence. Assessments may include essays, oral
examinations and multiple choice questions.
•
Level 2 – Knows how. Context-based tests – knows how to use
knowledge and skills. Assessments may include essays, oral
examinations, multiple choice questions and laboratory books.
•
Level 3 – Shows how. A student or trainee is able to demonstrate
that they can perform in a simulated environment or in real life.
Assessments may include objective structured clinical examinations
(OSCEs), simulated patient assessments, designing, conducting and
reporting an experiment, dispensing tests and taking a patient history.
42
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
•
Level 4 – Does. Acting independently and consistently in the complex
situation of an everyday or familiar context. Evidence for this level
is showing in this context that one is able to demonstrate the
outcomes in a complex everyday situation repeatedly and reliably.
Assessments may include OSCEs, taking a patient history and a trainee
demonstrating things in the pre-registration performance standards
repeatedly, accurately and safely. The trainee needs to be observed
doing these things by their tutor and others.
Note that these levels do not equate to years of study.
Teaching and learning
10.11 A curriculum should not be formulaic and should include a variety of
teaching and learning methods. Typically, teaching and learning methods
should result in:
•
learning based on experience that provides clinical education in a
range of practices and procedures;
•
learning based on experience that provides scientific education in a
range of practices and procedures;
•
learning based on experience that provides education in interprofessional practices and procedures with other healthcare
professionals;
•
learning that enables the demonstration of behaviours, attitudes and
values set out in the GPhC’s Code of conduct for pharmacy students
and Standards of conduct, ethics and performance;
•
learning including research and research methods to ensure that
students meet the research requirements for master’s degrees in the
QAA’s qualifications frameworks;
•
learning that integrates theory and practice opportunities for
developing the skills students/trainees need to become self-directed
learners;
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
43
•
opportunities to reflect on learning and practice and to discuss
issues with staff and peers. This should include activities such as
pharmacist CPD;
•
opportunities for students to develop specialist knowledge, for
example veterinary/industrial pharmacy or recent advances in science
relevant
to pharmacy.
10.12 MPharm degree students may study abroad for specified periods if
the period abroad is mapped onto relevant learning outcomes and the
school knows what a student will be doing in advance. The maximum
period of study overseas permissible is two years.
10.13 Pre-registration trainee pharmacists may spend up to 13 weeks of their
52 weeks of training in another EU member state.
The link between teaching and learning and assessment
10.14 The link between teaching and learning and assessment must be
explicit. Assessment must complement teaching and learning.
Assessment must test competence and the achievement of the
outcomes in this standard. Ensuring this will be a central feature of our
quality assurance processes.
Devolution
10.15 The GPhC’s register covers Great Britain. By country of residence
the split is 80%+ in England, 10% in Scotland, 5% in Wales, with the
remainder overseas. As students may work in any country, they must
be made aware of the similarities and differences in the provision of
healthcare in the countries of Great Britain.
44
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Appendix 1 – Indicative syllabus
A1.1 How medicines work
Therapeutics
•
Routes of administration
•
New therapeutic advances
•
Infection control
•
Complementary therapies
•
Clinical therapeutic uses of drugs
Applied Physical, Chemical and Biological sciences
•
(Bio)Analytical principles and methods
– pharmaceutical analytical instrumentation
– scope and limitations of analytical techniques
– advanced instrumental methods
– drug identification
•
Drug design and discovery
– drug targets
– structure: activity relationships
– molecular modelling
•
Cell and molecular biology
– prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell structure and function
– major cell components
– cell signalling
– membrane transport
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
45
– cell biochemistry: biosynthetics and metabolism
– cellular genetics
•
Microbiology
– classification and identification
– bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa, helminths
– replication
– pathogenicity and virulence
– zoonoses
•
Immunology
– transplantation
– vaccination
– diagnostics
•
Pharmaceutical chemistry
– chemical structure, bonding and nomenclature
– chemical functional groups and reactivity
– drug synthesis
– thermodynamics and chemical kinetics
– physicochemical properties of drug molecules
– sources and purification of medicinal substances, including
natural products
Pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
•
Contraindications, adverse reactions and drug interactions
•
Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME)
46
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
•
Pharmacokinetic modelling
•
Bioavailability and bioequivalence
•
Prediction of drug properties
•
Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics
•
Drug and substance misuse
•
Clinical toxicology and drug over-exposure
•
Molecular basis of drug action
•
Metabolism
Pharmaceutical technology, including manufacturing and engineering science
•
Biotechnology
– biotechnological use of microorganisms
– recombinant DNA technology
– transgenic animals
– tissue engineering
•
Manufacturing methods
•
Quality assurance processes, including raw materials and products
•
Sterilisation and asepsis
•
Environmental control in manufacturing
Formulation and material science
•
Materials used in formulations and devices
•
Dosage forms
•
Formulation principles
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
47
•
Biopharmaceutics, developmental pharmaceutics, pre-formulation and
formulation studies
•
Design and standardisation of medicines
•
Microbiological contamination
•
Contamination control
•
Product stability
•
Medical devices
A1.2 How people work
Normal and abnormal structure and function
•
Nutrition
•
Anatomy and physiology
– physiological regulation and homeostasis
– neural communication and control
– clinical immunology: autoimmune disease; hypersensitivity reactions
•
Pathology
•
Infectious diseases and infective processes
•
Wound repair
Sociology
•
Social and behavioural science
•
Drug misuse
•
Drugs in sport
48
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Health psychology
•
Health promotion
•
Disease prevention
•
Behavioural medicine
Objective diagnosis
•
Differential diagnosis
•
Symptom recognition
•
Diagnostic tests
Epidemiology
•
Aetiology and epidemiology of (major) diseases
A1.3 How systems work
Healthcare management
•
Public health
•
Organisations: the National Health Service in all of Great Britain, including
the NHS, NHS Scotland and NHS Wales; the Department of Health,
Scottish Government Health Department and Welsh Assembly Government
Department for Health and Social Services; government priorities
•
Other professionals
•
Healthcare systems
•
Veterinary pharmacy
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
49
Evidence-based practice
•
Health information systems/resources
•
Health policy and (pharmaco)economics
•
Health-related quality of life
•
Pharmacovigilance
Professional regulation
•
Legislation
•
Professional ethics and fitness to practise
•
Sale and supply of medicines
•
Continuing professional development
•
Political and legal framework
Medicines regulation
•
Evaluation and regulation of new drugs and medicines
•
Pharmacopoeial specifications and biological standards
•
Medicines licensing
•
Product quality, safety and efficacy
•
The supply chain
•
Packaging, labelling and patient information
Clinical governance
•
Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
•
Research methodology/research ethics
50
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
•
Risk and quality management
•
Good manufacturing/dispensing practice
•
Good clinical practice
•
Health policy, clinical and science research methods
Clinical management
•
Disease management
•
Chronic medicines management
•
Medicines use review
•
Care planning
•
Therapeutic drug monitoring
Workplace regulation
•
Health and safety
•
Sexual boundaries
•
Independent Safeguarding Authority
•
Data protection
•
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
•
Consumer protection, including complaints procedures
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
51
A1.4 Core and transferable skills
Professionalism
Research (including research methods)
Critical appraisal
•
Audit and learning from errors
•
Analysis of evidence
•
Evaluation of the literature
Problem solving
•
Study skills
•
Team-working skills
•
Integrating knowledge from multiple sources
Clinical decision-making
•
Leadership skills
Accurate record keeping
Reflective practice (including continuing professional development)
Effective communication
•
Interpersonal skills
•
Medical terminology
Interpret and interrogate clinical/scientific data
Analyse and use numerical data
Pharmaceutical numeracy
Literature searching
52
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
A1.5 Attitudes and values
See the Code of conduct for pharmacy students (2010) and Standards of
conduct, ethics and performance (2010).
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
53
Appendix 2 – European requirements for the
initial education and training of pharmacists
Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the
recognition of professional qualifications includes requirements for the initial
education and training of pharmacists. The requirements constitute the
Minimum Training Requirement (MTR). They include:
Section 7 – Pharmacist
Article 44 – Training as a pharmacist
2. Evidence of formal qualifications as a pharmacist shall attest to training
of at least five years’ duration, including at least:
(a) four years of full-time theoretical and practical training at a university
or at a higher institute of a level recognised as equivalent, or under the
supervision of a university;
(b) six-month traineeship in a pharmacy which is open to the public or
in a hospital, under the supervision of that hospital’s pharmaceutical
department.
3. Training for pharmacists shall provide an assurance that the person
concerned has acquired the following knowledge and skills:
(a) adequate knowledge of medicines and the substances used in the
manufacture of medicines;
(b) adequate knowledge of pharmaceutical technology and the physical,
chemical, biological and microbiological testing of medicinal products;
(c) adequate knowledge of the metabolism and the effects of medicinal
products and of the action of toxic substances, and of the use of
medicinal products;
(d) adequate knowledge to evaluate scientific data concerning medicines
in order to be able to supply appropriate information on the basis of
this knowledge;
(e) adequate knowledge of the legal and other requirements associated with
the pursuit of pharmacy.
54
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Article 45 – Pursuit of the professional activities of a pharmacist
2. The Member States shall ensure that the holders of evidence of formal
qualifications in pharmacy at university level or a level deemed to be
equivalent, which satisfies the provisions of Article 44, are able to gain
access to and pursue at least the following activities, subject to the
requirement, where appropriate, of supplementary professional experience:
(a) preparation of the pharmaceutical form of medicinal products;
(b) manufacture and testing of medicinal products;
(c) testing of medicinal products in a laboratory for the testing of
medicinal products;
(d) storage, preservation and distribution of medicinal products at the
wholesale stage;
(e) preparation, testing, storage and supply of medicinal products in
pharmacies open to the public;
(f) preparation, testing, storage and dispensing of medicinal products
in hospitals;
(g) provision of information and advice on medicinal products.
The syllabus is at Annex V.6. – Pharmacist, 5.6.1 Course of training for pharmacists.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
55
Appendix 3 – National and European
requirements for master’s level qualifications
The UK is a signatory to the Bologna Declaration. The Declaration produced a
number of common actions which have been designed to harmonise higher
education qualifications across Europe. Because it is a signatory, the UK has
agreed to operate a degree system including bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral
qualifications.
MPharm degrees are compliant with the requirements of:
•
the Framework of Qualifications for the European Higher Education Area;
•
the Quality Assurance Agency’s Framework for higher education
qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland;
•
the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership’s Scottish
Credit and Qualifications Framework.
Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland
Descriptor for a higher education qualification at Level 7: Master’s degree
The descriptor provided for this level of the framework is for any master’s
degree which should meet the descriptor in full. This qualification descriptor
can also be used as a reference point for other Level 7 qualifications, including
postgraduate certificates and postgraduate diplomas.
Master’s degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated:
•
a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of
current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed
by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study or area of
professional practice;
•
a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own
research or advanced scholarship;
•
originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical
understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry
are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline;
56
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
•
conceptual understanding that enables the student:
– to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship
in the discipline;
– to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and,
where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses.
Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to:
•
deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound
judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their
conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences;
•
demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving
problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks
at a professional or equivalent level;
•
continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop
new skills to a high level.
And holders will have:
•
the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring:
– the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility;
– decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations;
– the independent learning ability required for continuing professional
development.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
57
Appendix 4 – Sites for pharmacist
pre-registration training
Pre-registration training may take place on any site approved by the GPhC.
These include:
•
community pharmacies;
•
NHS hospital pharmacies;
•
primary care trusts;
•
schools of pharmacy with an accredited MPharm degree;
•
the pharmaceutical industry;
•
prison pharmacies;
•
mental health trusts;
•
private hospitals;
•
registered pharmacies engaged solely in the supply of animal and
agricultural products.
At least 26 weeks of the 52 weeks of pre-registration training must be
patient-facing.
58
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Further information
This document has been written for professional educators and trainers. There
are other documents explaining these standards and requirements which have
been written for different audiences.
If you are a pre-registration trainee or have applied to enter the preregistration scheme, the most useful document for you is the Pre-registration
Training Manual for Trainees. The manual contains the standards you have to
meet and also information on the Registration Assessment.
If you are a pre-registration tutor, or are thinking of applying to become
a tutor, the most useful document for you is the Pre-registration Training
Manual for Tutors. It tells you what you have to do as a tutor and how to
support a trainee.
You can find these documents at www.pharmacyregulation.org.
If you would like to speak to someone about the pre-registration scheme or
the Registration Examination, contact prereg@pharmacyregulation.org.
Other standards and guidance
We have published a document for non-EEA pharmacists wanting to register in
Great Britain called Education and training standards for non-EEA pharmacists
wanting to register in Great Britain.
Once registered, pharmacy professionals must meet our Standards of
conduct, ethics and performance and Standards for continuing professional
development.
You can find these documents at www.pharmacyregulation.org.
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
59
Reference documents
Accreditation and Recognition of Pharmacy Technician programmes (General
Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), 2011)
Clear sexual boundaries between healthcare professionals and patients:
guidance for fitness to practise panels (Council for Healthcare Regulatory
Excellence (CHRE), 2008)
Clear sexual boundaries between healthcare professionals and patients:
responsibilities of healthcare professionals (CHRE, 2008)
Code of conduct for pharmacy students (GPhC, 2010)
Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher
education (Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), 2004–10)
Dimensions of quality (Gibbs, G., Higher Education Academy, 2010,
www.hea.ac.uk/assets/documents/evidence_informed_practice/Dimensions_
of_Quality.pdf)
Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the
recognition of professional qualifications
Fitness to practise procedures for pharmacy students in UK universities:
a literature review (Schafheutle, E.I. et al. on behalf of the Royal
Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB), 2009)
Framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern
Ireland (QAA, 2008)
Framework of Qualifications for the European Higher Education Area
(www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/qf/overarching.asp)
From pharmacy education into pre-registration training (Willis, S. et al., Centre
for Pharmacy Workforce Studies (CPWS), The Workforce Academy, School of
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester, Pharmacy
Practice Research Trust (PPRT), 2007)
Good character assessment framework template (contact GPhC)
60
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Guidance on student fitness to practise procedures in schools of pharmacy
(GPhC, 2010)
Health assessment framework template (contact GPhC)
Healthcare professional education and training: how does pharmacy in
Great Britain compare? (Wright, D.J. et al., University of East Anglia for the
RPSGB, 2006)
Higher education credit framework for England: guidance on academic credit
arrangements in higher education in England (QAA, 2008)
IELTS Guide for educational institutions, governments, professional bodies
and commercial organisations (International English Language Testing System
(IELTS), 2009)
Institutional review of higher education institutions in England and Northern
Ireland, operational description (QAA, 2010)
Learning about sexual boundaries between healthcare professionals and
patients: a report on education and training (CHRE, 2008)
Learning from innovation in pharmacy education (PPRT, 2007)
Making pharmacy education fit for the future, Report of the Pharmacy
Education R&D Reference Group (RPSGB, 2004)
MPharm programmes: where are we now? (Wilson, K. et al., Aston University
Pharmacy Practice Research Group, PPRT, 2005)
MPharm student code of conduct: a literature review (Schafheutle, E.I. et al.
on behalf of the RPSGB, 2009)
Pharmacy in England: building on strengths – delivering the future
(HM Government/Department of Health, The Stationery Office, 2008)
The Pharmacy Order 2010
Pharmacy undergraduate students: career choices and expectations across
a four-year degree programme (Wilson, K. et al., Aston University Pharmacy
Practice Research Group, PPRT, 2006)
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
61
Pre-registration Trainee Workbook (GPhC, annual) (includes Pre-registration
performance standards and Registration Examination Syllabus)
Pre-registration Tutor Workbook (GPhC, annual)
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (Scottish Credit and Qualifications
Framework Partnership, www.scqf.org.uk/The%20Framework/)
Sexual boundary violations by health professionals – an overview of the
published empirical literature (Halter, M. et al., CHRE, 2007)
Standards of conduct, ethics and performance (GPhC, 2010)
Studying pharmacy: who, when, how, why? What next? (Willis, S. et al., CPWS,
The Workforce Academy, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of Manchester, PPRT, 2006)
Work, employment and the early careers of cohort pharmacists (Willis, S. et
al., CPWS, The Workforce Academy, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical
Sciences, University of Manchester, PPRT, 2009)
Working lives of pre-registration trainees (Willis, S. et al., CPWS, The Workforce
Academy, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Manchester, PPRT, 2008)
62
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Websites
British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (BPSA): www.bpsa.co.uk
Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE): www.chre.org.uk
Council of University Heads of Pharmacy Schools (CUHOP): www.cuhop.ac.uk
European Commission/European Union (EC/EU): http://ec.europa.eu and
document service at http://eur-lex.europa.eu
General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC): www.pharmacyregulation.org
International English Language Testing System (IELTS): www.ielts.org
Modernising Pharmacy Careers (MPC): www.mee.nhs.uk/programme_boards/
modernising_pharmacy_careers_p.aspx
National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC):
www.naric.org.uk
Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA): www.oiahe.org.uk
Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI): www.psni.org.uk
Pharmacy Practice Research Trust (PPRT): www.pprt.org.uk/home/Home.aspx
Quality Assurance Agency (QAA): www.qaa.ac.uk
Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS): www.rpharms.com
UK Border Agency (UKBA): www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk
Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
63
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64 Standards for continuing professional development
© General Pharmaceutical Council 2011